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On The Worship of God
When duly imbued with the knowledge of him, the whole aim of our lives will be to revere, fear, and worship his majesty, to enjoy a share in his blessings, to have recourse to him in every difficulty, to acknowledge, laud, and celebrate the magnificence of his works, to make him, as it were, the sole aim of all our actions. – John Calvin
List of subjects:
I. Immediate Importance of True Worship
II. Corporate Worship and Individual Worship
III. Wrong Views of Corporate Worship Contrasted with a Biblical Perspective
IV. A Biblical Perspective Continued
V. Abounding Grace Public Worship Service
I. Immediate Importance of True Worship.
Worship of the Almighty God is important because God commands it. Jesus, summarizing Deut. 6:13-14 in response to Satan, states, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” This scripture not only commands worship, it also indicates that God does not permit worship to be shared with any other god, person, or imagination. The command requires worship of him alone.
As the creator of the universe, he has the right to require whatever he pleases. Romans 1:20-21 tells us that because his eternal attributes are demonstrated through creation, he deserves to be honored as God with proper thanksgiving from those he created. Creation may never answer back at its creator (Rom. 9:19-23).
This creator views our worship with such importance, that he may be provoked to jealousy. Verse 15 of Deut. 6 gives the reason why we are not to worship anyone or anything else but the Lord: “for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God, lest the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.” This wrathful jealousy of God is not just an Old Testament presentation of God, because in Acts 12:23, he struck King Herod with flesh eating worms to his death, because Herod “did not give God the glory.” We must beware, and take the worship of God seriously.
II. Corporate Worship and Individual Worship
Individual worship is simply doing “all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:3). It includes study of God’s word (Ps. 1:2, 119:97), prayer (1 Thes. 5:17), and many individual activities as listed in Romans 12:9-21, and elsewhere. In so far as we live like Christ, in doing good deeds and producing fruit, we bring God glory and praise – worship! (Matt. 5:16, John 15:8). Corporate worship, on the other hand, is the gathering of God’s people together to publicly worship him and edify believers. The following discussion will address corporate worship.
III. Wrong Views of Corporate Worship Contrasted With a Biblical Perspective.
Sadly, errors of thought and behavior regarding public worship abound in Christendom today. These that follow are only a few and are answered by scripture.
1. Worship is what I do on Sundays. Usually people who believe this will live for themselves the rest of the week, and not for God. This error can be very subtle; many would never admit to it. However, their lives tell the truth. The deceitfulness of this sin can likewise be damning, because the individual thinks that simply through public worship he/she will attain unto heaven. True saving faith, however, will manifest itself through both public and private worship (Matt. 7:15-27, Phil. 2:12-13).
2. Worship is when the church meets my needs and the needs of my family. This mentality is not totally wrong (sometimes true), but it expresses a prevalent yet incorrect viewpoint about biblical worship. Please let me explain. Church is first and foremost to worship God publicly (1 Cor. 14:25, Heb. 12:28 & note context – vs.22-23), and second it is to seek how we may build up other believers in their faith (Heb. 10:25), by using our spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-7, Rom 12:6-8). These first and second priorities of church worship focus on others, and not on ourselves or our families. The third priority, however, does focus on what our needs are individually and as a family. Unfortunately, in our church culture today, these priorities are out of order, and it shows itself through the lack of giving and serving of church members. Certainly there are times when people are going through difficulties, and they need to come to church to be the “receivers” of love and help, but this should be the exception and not the rule.
3. Worship is when we sing at church. This is true in part, but hearing and submitting to the proclamation of the word and gospel is a more important act of worship than singing. Unfortunately, many people will choose a church based on the style of music or types of songs, regardless of what is proclaimed from the pulpit; or the music may simply have a greater influence on their choice than the word of God. Yet, we know that the proclamation of the word and gospel must have priority, because Jesus said, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The truth of God’s word, not the style of music, is what sets people free.[4] Likewise Rom. 12:2 and Eph. 4:23 speak of the necessity of renewing our minds for sanctification. And in order to pray according to God’s will such that our prayers are answered, we need to let his word abide in us (John 15:7).
4. Worship is what I feel towards God. Again, this is true in part, and certainly, we need to have feelings for God. In fact, it is essential! The person who never has feelings toward God, does not know Christ. The error creeps in when we feel, just to feel. Feelings as such may be a form of New Age mysticism that seeks a spiritual experience apart from truth or mind. If we emote, but not as a response to truths about God, then we participate in some form of mysticism (feeling for feelings sake). Feelings toward God are essential, but they must be feelings toward the true God as scripture reveals. Errors in this point can be closely tied with singing, because singing often involves emoting. We at Abounding Grace Church seek to choose songs that contain some depth of truth, and engage our minds when singing (1 Corinthians 14:15).
5. The more complicated and theological the liturgy, the more worshipful the service. This error is common in the “reformed” camp. It is fact that we are not taught explicitly by scripture of a particular order of worship events; nor are we given the number of songs to sing; nor are we given a length of time for prayer.[5] As much as is possible, we apply theological/scriptural reason and common sense to the order of events. I do not wish to make accusations as to the motives that exist for creating a complicated liturgy, but it may have to do with a love by Reformed people for theologically complex ideas. It may be that they feel bored by too simple a service, and some may even have trouble believing that God accepts simplicity in worship. Or perhaps, because of their love for church history, they may be drawn to the historically based forms of liturgy. Whatever the reason, the point is that a worship service need not be complex to be biblical.[6]
III. A Biblical Perspective Continued.
God determines how he is to be worshiped. “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” The fact that this scripture refers to worship is clear from the verse that precedes it: “You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done…” The point seems to be clear: worship the Lord the way he prescribes.
Worshiping the Lord the way he prescribes is called the regulative principle. If we do not worship God’s way, the consequences may be lethal. Observe the quick, non-merciful deaths of Nadab and Abihu as they offered God incense that he did not authorize (Lev. 10:1-2). After their death, they continued to be used as examples for Israel of the consequences of improper worship (Num. 3:4, 26:61). Now, do I think God would do that to us? History seems to indicate that God most likely will not.[7] However, I am not God! The point nevertheless stands, that worship of God according to the way he prescribes is extremely important to him.
The corporate worship events that we believe God has prescribed for the New Covenant Church are listed as follows:
1. Preaching and teaching of the word and gospel (2 Tim. 4:2, 1 Cor. 1:23-24, 1 Tim. 4:13).
2. Public reading of the scriptures (1 Tim. 4:13).
3. Singing of Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16).
4. Prayer (1 Tim. 2:1,8; 2 Thes. 3:1, Matt. 6:9-13).
5. Giving of Tithes and Offerings (2 Cor. 9:7, Prov. 3:9,10, Malachi 3:8-10).
6. Baptizing of new believers (Matt. 28:19).
7. Collective participation in holy communion (Matt. 26:26-28).
8. Public discipline when necessary (Matt. 18:17, 1 Cor. 5:13).
IV. Abounding Grace Public Worship Service.
Our worship service and liturgy are simple. We sing; we pray; we give; we read the scriptures; and we preach the gospel. Regularly we partake of communion; and on occasion, we baptize new believers. Sadly, at times we are forced to discipline one of our members publicly when he/she refuses to repent; this only after considerable attempts to discipline privately are of no avail.
The desire to serve and edify believers permeates most of the attitudes of our members. We love each other, and seek to worship God individually and when we gather together. Praise the Lord for his church!
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